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Three feelings sum up the Arts Sector’s response to COVID–19. Firstly, a feeling of doom and nothing seeming to work. Secondly, a sense of paralysis, coupled with a curiosity about what might work. Thirdly, there’s an optimism about the future, and a fierce determination to survive and thrive in this trying time.
I don’t think these feelings are confined to the Arts Sector, of course, and these feelings alternate with each other even over a single day. Arts organisations are faring better than individual artists. Jobs have some protection, but freelance work sadly does not. Individual artists that have very low incomes, in any case, have lost al

The Liberties is one of Dublin’s oldest neighbourhoods and for Amy Sergison, it’s part of her family history. She revisited the area to explore its evolution.
The Liberties is one of Dublin’s oldest neighbourhoods having been around in one way or another since the 12th century. In my memory, this is where my nana lived and my Dad grew up.
I have very fond memories of visiting my nana on Basin Street. We would know we were close in the car, even if our eyes were closed because we could smell the hops from Guinness. I remember Greta’s shop (sadly gone today), where the floor sparkled like diamonds and jars filled with sugar barley stood tall on top of

Katie Kavanagh, a Dublin 8 based photographer, had an idea. As we’re generally stuck indoors due to COVID-19 restrictions, she’d take portrait shots of her neighbours at their doors. The idea grew legs and she’s linked up with Purple House Cancer Support Centre for the project, ‘Doors Closed, Hearts Open‘. Their aim is to create a gallery of 200,000 Doortraits to support the 200,000 people living with Cancer in Ireland

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Elisa Capitanio is a UX Designer at social media intelligence agency Storyful, and also runs her own independent abstract art business.
She came to Ireland nine years ago completely by chance. Living in Italy, she longed for a change of pace, so she left her home of Bergamo and moved to London. Dublin came calling with an opportunity for Elisa to try her hand at being a web designer, so she packed her bags for a second time and moved country again. Since then, Ireland has become her permanent home and has inspired her art.
She chose Dublin for its fast market and inspiring tech community.
Of working in Dublin’s tech industry, Elisa said:

Traffic: we all hate it. But we’re stuck with – and in – it. Or are we?
A new initiative from Dublin City Council (DCC) and delivery firm UPS is aiming to reduce the number of vehicles on the city’s roads. It uses what UPS call an “Eco Hub” container on Wolfe Tone Street. The Eco Hub acts as a small distribution hub from which deliveries can be made by bike or on foot.
“It came about when we were approached by UPS, who had piloted the same project in London, Paris and Hamburg,” explains Colm Ennis, Senior Executive Engineer with DCC. “We are developing a strategy for city centre goods deliveries and are trying to reduce

In recent years, Dublin has lost some of its most important creative spaces to a building boom that’s reminiscent of the Celtic Tiger era.
Block T in Smithfield and South Studios near Cork Street were both closed down in 2016 with a significant loss of square footage for artists, photographers, designers and writers. In their place, however, a new generation of co-working spaces – aimed specifically at servicing Dublin’s creative communities – is coming into being.
Although they have become abundant in many European capitals in the last few years, co-working spaces are a relatively new arrival in the Dublin property market. In the past 12 months the number

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Following a recent major agreement between the Government and the Hague based Permanent Court of Arbitration there is a significant opportunity for Dublin to become a centre for dispute resolution.
Dublin has a huge amount to offer as an international arbitration venue, including a highly respected legal system. Following the UK’s departure from the EU, Ireland will also be the only fully common-law, English speaking country in the EU. Currently cities including Paris, Zurich and Stockholm have been seen as seats for arbitration, however newer places, including Dublin could now attract high profile cases. This has the potential to be a major boost to the econ

The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in many businesses facing an uncertain future, rethinking how they will make money. Many entrepreneurs have found a silver lining from their new circumstances in being given an unexpected opportunity to work on sustainable and ethical ideas as they reinvent their business.
Making your start-up or existing business sustainable or ethical is also a smart, future-proof option. Customers are now much more informed and aware of the environmental impact of their purchases. A more sustainable product or service will create a positive brand image and reputation that will impact the bottom line of many businesses.

As the impact of the COVID–19 outbreak intensifies, businesses across Dublin are finding ways to diversify to survive the crisis and retain their staff. The virus is hitting our economy hard, and it’s creating a situation that’s well beyond the experience of most business owners. However, in these difficult times, many businesses have managed, with the support of their Local Enterprise Office, to adapt and shift to new products and services quickly.
UNIFORMAL
Uniformal, an established uniform and corporate wear provider based in South Dublin, have been supplying Irish businesses with bespoke and premium ready-to-wear uniform solutions and workwear fo

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With a huge urban campus, state-of-the-art facilities, and the largest student body of any university in Ireland, University College Dublin welcomes hundreds of new international students every year.
UCD prides itself on being Ireland’s global university and has international campuses and strong links to academic institutions in locations as far-flung as Beijing and Malaysia. They have a portfolio of over 500 institutional partnerships in over 90 countries, allowing students and staff to engage in exchange programmes for research, studies, internships, field trips and volunteering opportunities. Around 1,000 students avail of these opportunities every year, a

We sat down with Professor Philip Nolan, president of Maynooth University, to discuss his plans for the university, which lies on the periphery of Dublin. His role focuses on creating a strategy and implementing this to grow and develop the university.
Maynooth University is home to over 1,000 staff and 13,000 students, and more than 1,200 of these are international students hailing from over 60 countries. The university offers a wide range of excellent academic programmes which are delivered by leading researchers in various fields, and students are challenged and encouraged to reach their full potential in this top-class learning environment.
C

Romina Dashghachian is 22. She’s from Germany (her parents are from Iran), and she’s studying for a Master’s in Public Relations at Dublin City University (DCU). Romina’s hometown is Munich, and she reckons that city and Dublin have a lot in common. “Munich has a community feel, so you never feel like you’re in a giant anonymous city. And that’s why I like Dublin as well. When you’re here, you don’t feel like you’re just disappearing in the crowds.”
But how did she come to choose Dublin in the first place? “I was in Dublin two years ago with a friend of mine just for a holiday trip, and we fell

Practical information

Often, it’s only when you arrive in a place that you realise all the questions you never thought to ask yourself before you set off on your journey. We’ve rounded up some facts about life in Dublin that you might not even know you’ll need to know!

What’s the weather like?

Ireland’s climate could be described as mild, moist and changeable. Dublin gets about 730mm (28 inches) of rain a year – more than London or Paris, less than Copenhagen or Munich. In the height of summer, the sun doesn’t set until almost 10pm. Temperatures rarely drop below freezing and snow is uncommon except on high ground. The mercury tops out at about 20° Celsius in summer. Here are some average temperatures:

Waterproof coats for summer and winter are good investments; while your bathing suit may have to wait for summer holidays!

When are the public holidays?

Ireland has nine public holidays per year:

New Year’s Day (January 1st; or the following Monday, if the 1st falls on a Saturday or Sunday)

St Patrick’s Day (March 17th; or the following Monday, if the 17th falls on a Saturday or Sunday)

Easter Monday

May Bank Holiday (first Monday of the month)

June Bank Holiday (first Monday of the month)

August Bank Holiday (first Monday of the month)

October Bank Holiday (last Monday of the month)

Christmas Day (December 25th; or the following weekday, if the 25th falls on a Saturday or Sunday)

St Stephen’s Day (December 26th; or the following weekday after the Christmas Day bank holiday, if the 25th or 26th falls on a Saturday or Sunday)

What’s the voltage for electricity?

The standard voltage in Ireland is 230 volt AC (frequency 50Hz). Plugs and sockets are designed for three prongs.

How do I go about getting connected to essential services?

Gas and electricity

There are a number of electricity and gas providers in Ireland. You can use a comparison site like bonkers.ie to contrast them and find out what the best option is for you. If moving into a rented home, your landlord will supply you with details of the company with which the property is set up. If purchasing your home, your estate agent will be able to tell you which company was previously providing services and you can simply let the energy provider know when you move into the property.

The good thing is that you will rarely find accommodation where electricity and gas (where in use) services have not previously been set up, unless you are building a new home or entering a previously unoccupied property.

Internet

Internet services are often linked with landline and TV services in Ireland, which means that it is common to buy a package that provides wifi as well as home phone and television services. The most common providers are Sky, eir, Vodafone and Virgin Media. You can compare their prices online.

Once you choose which company you want to provide services like electricity, gas and internet to your home, you can simply contact them and open an account.

Are there any cultural taboos to bear in mind?

Sexuality, race, religion and gender

Ireland has become steadily more progressive in the past two decades and intolerance to practices like racism, homophobia, sexism and bigotry is higher than ever. Dublin is an LGBTQ-friendly city; in fact, in 2015 Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote. And with 17% of the city’s population born outside of Ireland, the face of Dublin is becoming ever more multicultural and richly textured.

Political history

The separation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland can be a sensitive issue for many people living here. Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland, most commonly referred to simply as Ireland; while Northern Ireland is a separate state and a member of the United Kingdom. Avoid referring to Ireland as “part of the UK”, or confusing Irish people with British or English people. If you are unsure of the correct terms to use, ask a local person in a sensitive manner, letting them know you are trying to learn more about Ireland’s history and culture.

Is the city mobility friendly?

Dublin is improving for wheelchair users, those with guide dogs and people who may have mobility issues. Most tourist attractions have good wheelchair access and facilities. Luas trams are wheelchair friendly; the majority of the Dublin Bus fleet is equipped with lower floors for wheelchair users; and Irish Rail will do their best to ensure your journeys on their DART, local and national train networks are hassle-free.

Who can I contact in an emergency?

The emergency services are easily contactable by phone on the following numbers:

Can I park in the city centre?

On-street and car park parking is available in the city centre, but you will pay for it. Car parks typically charge €2-€4/hour; while on-street parking varies, usually hovering at around €2/hour. Many city-centre streets charge an hourly rate between 7:00-19:00, after which parking is free – but make sure to check street signage, as there are plenty of streets for which 24-hour rates apply.

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1. Figure out the entry requirements
Firstly, you need to check if you need a visa (and if so, what type) to gain entry to Ireland. Make sure you tick all the boxes before making your way here.
2. Start the house hunt
There’s no getting around the fact that housing is in short supply in Dublin. Booming employment opportunities are attracting many domestic and international newcomers to the city – and they all need somewhere to live.

Ireland’s healthcare system is divided into public and private tiers.
Public
Ireland’s public healthcare system offers world-class care, partly funded by the government.
If you are “ordinarily resident”, you can access a range of public health services that are free of charge or subsidised by the Irish government’s Health Service Executive (HSE). (You are considered to be “ordinarily resident” if you have been living in Ireland for at least one year – or you intend to live in the country for at least one year.)
Holders of a European Health Insurance

Dublin city stretches across 115km², with the county itself covering 921km². While it’s not the biggest area, as Ireland’s capital city, it has a lot going on – which is why it’s split into four local authorities: Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.